Discover the Best of Lebanon: 25 Top-Rated archaeological sites to Visit
Our guide features 25 can’t-miss archaeological sites in Lebanon for your next adventure. Explore the best of Lebanon with our list of top-rated archaeological sites. For thrill-seekers, we’ve compiled 25 exciting archaeological sites. Journey through Lebanon and discover 25 fascinating archaeological sites with unique stories.
Information about Lebanon
It is an Arab country located in the Middle East, specifically in the west of the Asian continent, and is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Palestine to the south, and overlooks the Mediterranean Sea from the west. It is a democratic, republican, sectarian country whose population is mostly Arab Muslims and Christians. Unlike most Arab countries, there is an active presence of Christians in public and political life. Lebanon is considered one of the countries of the Levant, and it is similar to the rest of the Levantine countries in its delicious dishes and traditional dances such as the Dabkeh, and the accents are also similar. Despite the small area of Lebanon, it is one of the countries that has a history full of events, as some of the first human civilizations such as the Phoenicians settled in it, and many great empires passed through it throughout history, and therefore, during your wandering in it, you will find many amazing monuments and evidence left by those civilizations. Lebanon is also distinguished by its picturesque nature and its beautiful mild climate.
A list of the best Archaeological sites in Lebanon
Don’t waste your time sifting through endless reviews and recommendations – let our team do the work for you. Our list of the best archaeological sites in Lebanon is carefully crafted to include only the most highly-rated and well-regarded options based on visitor feedback.
1- Izzeddeen Hammam
Izzeddeen Hammam – The Izz al-Din bath, which is located near Bab al-Hadid, is considered one of the most famous baths in Tripoli. The bath was built on the ruins of an old Latin church, and its area is 745 square meters. The history of the Izz al-Din bath in the northern capital, Tripoli, dates back to 2500 years, as it was built by the Mamluks according to the method Roman and Byzantine traditions, and it has become with the passage of time a place where visitors gather to hang out and exchange conversations in the evening nights, and during the day after returning from work, and it is evident in its design that the past coexists with the present, as the bathroom still maintains its archaeological building that the days gained A beautiful color that tells the history of this bathroom, not to mention the height of its construction, and the ancient chandeliers that make it a museum in itself, which makes it a destination for visitors from the city, and foreign tourists alike.
Place address: Izzeddeen Hammam, Tarablus, Lebanon
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2- Al-Mina Port Tripoli, Lebanon
Al-Mina Port Tripoli, Lebanon – The port forms the coastal front of Tripoli, and the sea corniche, also known as Rafic Hariri Avenue, which is considered one of the most important parks in the region, wraps around it. From this port, tourist boats depart to the eleven islands of Tripoli scattered in the middle of the sea, some of which have been declared natural reserves, such as the Island of Rabbits and the Island of Palms. From this port, too, one can enjoy a view of the flat city of Tripoli, the high mountains behind it, and the surrounding coasts; There are also small hotels, cafes and restaurants on the outskirts of the Corniche, most of which serve fish meals. The port of Tripoli is one of the most important sites in the city that you cannot miss visiting.
Place address: Mina, Lebanon
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3- Hamra
Hamra – The Hamra area has been located in West Beirut since the late nineteenth century, and it is a very lively area, as well as one of the most popular evening entertainment centers. The area is originally inhabited by Muslims and Orthodox Christians in harmony, as evidenced by the fact that it is full of churches and mosques, which He explains that nowadays it attracts a mixture of people from different religious and ethnic backgrounds, and this area, which is considered a commercial area par excellence, has been a center of Beirut’s cultural activity since 2005, and the area also includes a huge variety of shops and restaurants.
Place address: Hamra, Beirut, Lebanon
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4- Saint Charbel Tomb
Saint Charbel Tomb – In the tomb of Saint Charbel, you will learn about the monk, Saint Charbel, and specifically about the last 23 years of his life. According to many witnesses, the monk’s body was found intact four months after his burial without a coffin, as it is said that the people of Byblos saw a sparkling light on the night of his burial. Above his tomb, and the light appeared repeatedly for 45 nights, so Patriarch Elias Howayek authorized the opening of his tomb, and his body was found safe from corruption, and since then people flock to his tomb because they believe that he heals the sick. And cut trees that he used as a pillow, and the area surrounding the temple provides stunning views of the mountains and the sea, and the landmark is one of the well-known destinations in the region for history lovers, tourists and locals.
Place address: Monastery Saint Maroun Annaya (Tomb Saint Charbel)- Lebanese Maronite Order, Aannaya, Lebanon
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5- Temple of Bacchus
Temple of Bacchus – The Temple of Bacchus is distinguished for being one of the best-preserved Roman structures, and the most ingenious inscription and decoration of all. The performance of religious rituals of certain sects, and these rituals and worships centered around the young god of Baalbek known as Bacchus, who was supervising the growth of plants and herds, and the temple and the tower adjacent to it are still known today as the House of Happiness, and it stands to the western side From the temple are the ruins of a mosque from the Ayyubid era, known as the Ibrahim Mosque. The garrison of Baalbek at that time used to meet in it to perform prayers.
Place address: Temple of Bacchus (Roman’s god of Wine), Baalbek, Lebanon
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6- Our Lady of Lebanon
Our Lady of Lebanon – This Catholic church is famous for the tall bronze statue that sits above the holy shrine of the Virgin Mary of Lebanon, among Christians and Muslims alike. Through it, you can see a distinctive panoramic view of the surrounding villages from the top of the hill. The shrine was built eight meters high to give respect to the Virgin Mary. You can reach the village by car or by taking a cable car ride and enjoy the enchanting views of the bay along the way. There are also some churches surrounding it, so do not hesitate and visit them with family or friends.
Place address: Our Lady of Lebanon بازيليك سيدة لبنان, Harissa, Lebanon
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7- Mar Lichaa monastery
Mar Lichaa monastery – The Monastery of Mar Elisha is located at the beginning of the Qadisha Valley, and it is one of the ancient monasteries built in the rocks and among the mountains. It is famous and distinguished because of the small churches that appeared among the rocks. This monastery has been home to Christian monastic communities for centuries, and it has received many priests who chose to flee their lives to pray and lived their whole lives in it.
Place address: Bsharri, Lebanon
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8- Baalbek Roman Ruins
Baalbek Roman Ruins – This wonderful site in Baalbek was a temple dedicated to the Phoenician gods Astarte and Baal since the year 9000 BC, and it remained so until the year 150 BC, and then it was converted into a temple dedicated to the goddess Venus during Roman colonization, and at that time this majestic temple was built that is dotted with columns marble, a huge palace and stone carvings of great beauty, and then in the year 637 AD the temple was converted into an ecclesiastical area with the influence of Constantine the Great on the Roman Empire. These ruins are now visited by people who want to learn about the region’s rich and long history.
Place address: Baalbek, Lebanon
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9- Moghr Tehine
Moghr Tehine – The cave of flour was named by this name in relation to its fragile limestone rocky nature, and it is a Roman quarry consisting of dozens of caves and grottoes intertwined with catacombs and passages with patterns, decorations and engineering drawings dating back thousands of years, and the depth of the tunnels in it reaches more than 200 meters, in addition to that It includes cemeteries and houses indicating that the age of this quarry dates back to all the historical periods that the city went through.
Place address: Baalbek, Lebanon
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10- Jeita Grotto
Jeita Grotto – Jeita Grotto consists of a group of small karst caves formed by the disintegration of limestone over the ages, and this disintegration creates many doubts and expansions within the rocks, and these caves contain many different rock formations such as columns, stalagmites, and stalagmites. Jeita is the longest cave in Lebanon, extending to a depth of 2130 meters underground. The cave consists of an upper cave and a lower cave. The cave was equipped for visitors by cutting a concrete tunnel 117 meters long and providing it with the latest lighting technologies. The area also provides visitors with many different restaurants, cafes and shops.
Place address: Jeita Grotto, Valley of the Dog River, Keserwan, Bayrut, Lebanon
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11- Stone of the Pregnant Woman
Stone of the Pregnant Woman – The Rock of the Pregnant Woman, also known as the Rock of the South, is a Roman landmark located in the Lebanese city of Baalbek, and it is a huge rock that was cut down two thousand years ago, and it is likely that it is from the remains of a Roman temple that was built in this area, and the length of the rock is more than From 21 meters, and weighing more than 1000 tons, and it is said that the name of the rock comes from the legends in which the jinn assigned pregnant women the task of cutting and moving the stone, while others said that the name reflects the belief that the woman who touches the stone increases the possibility of her having children, in any case, This rock remains an important and attractive archaeological site in Baalbek, you cannot miss visiting it.
Place address: Stone of the Pregnant Woman, Lebanon
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12- Sayyida Khawla Shrine
Sayyida Khawla Shrine – The shrine of Mrs. Khawla is located near the southern entrance to the city, and it is considered one of the most important tourist attractions of Baalbek, as it is visited by many residents of the Arab East, in order to obtain the blessing of the owner of the shrine, who was famous for being the owner of dignity. This ancient shrine is distinguished by its exquisite Islamic architecture, beautiful Ottoman inscriptions, spacious outdoor yard, and spiritual atmosphere.
Place address: Baalbek, Lebanon
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13- Tyre Hippodrome
Tyre Hippodrome – The Hippodrome is an amazing archaeological site that was once a horse racing circuit, the largest of its kind in the world. It is a very huge archaeological landmark with several facilities, including a horse-dressing room, starting room, amphitheatre, and huge arches and gates. It is the most famous landmark in the city, and is visited by tourists and locals alike. The place has several guides who will tell you the full history of the area and answer all your questions.
Place address: Tyre Hippodrome, Tyre, Lebanon
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14- Chateau Ksara
Chateau Ksara – Chateau Ksara is the oldest winery established in Lebanon, dating back to 1857 AD, and it is one of the pioneering landmarks that preserved the history of winemaking in Lebanon for more than 156 years. The factory offers a variety and innovative blend of wines of more than 25 local and international varieties, which satisfy all tastes and suit all occasions. Today, the factory is a legacy linked to the three basic values: tradition, nobility and modernity, and it exports its products to all parts of the world.
Place address: Ksara, Lebanon
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15- Aanjar Umayyad City Ruins
Aanjar Umayyad City Ruins – The town of Anjar is one of the most beautiful natural and archaeological areas in Lebanon, as it has a distinctive nature, mixed with ancient ruins in it, in a unique formation that the alphabet stands at a loss when describing it. The reason for naming Anjar is due to the eye that erupts at the nearby foothills of the eastern Lebanon mountains, which was previously known as “Ain Jera”. This town was founded by the Umayyad caliph, Al-Walid bin Abd al-Malik, at the beginning of the eighth century AD, with the help of a group of highly experienced engineers and builders in the field of decoration, and they used columns, capitals, and other Roman and Byzantine remains from the neighboring regions. Because of the fall of the caliphate, the passage of time, and the outbreak of conflicts and wars, this architectural masterpiece was destroyed, and nothing remains of it today except for some ruins, in addition to the ancient Baalbek Mosque. It is the only Umayyad city in the world that still stands tall to this day.
Place address: PWJM+WCJ, Aanjar, Lebanon
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16- Palais du Mzar
Palais du Mzar – The history of the Palace du Mazar dates back to the middle of the eighteenth century, when it was built as a gift from one of the rulers to his new-born brother, and after that during the war, the palace was the shelters for many individuals, and it was restored over different periods of time, which made it maintain its splendor And the beauty of its unique details, which people enjoy seeing when visiting the palace, and many public and private events are held in it.
Place address: Mzar street, غزير، Lebanon
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17- Beiteddine Palace
Beiteddine Palace – Beiteddine Palace or Prince Bashir Palace is located in the Chouf region of Mount Lebanon, minutes away from the town of Deir al-Qamar. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in Lebanon, and is considered one of the best examples of historical Lebanese architecture. In addition to its tourism importance, it hosts the summer residence of the Presidency of the Lebanese Republic. The palace was built in the early seventeenth century and was the seat of the Ottoman governors.
Place address: Beit ed-Dine, Lebanon
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18- Raouche Rocks
Raouche Rocks – It consists of two rocky pairs, about 70 meters long and 25 meters high, one of which is larger than the other. The large one is hollow and the small one is pointed in shape, which has been greatly affected by weather erosion over time. Locals and tourists love to walk along the Corniche adjacent to it, and enjoy its view at any time of the day; But the best times to see it are at sunset, when the atmosphere is poetic and the view of the sunset is breathtaking. Visitors can also take a boat ride around the rock.
Place address: Raouche Rocks, Beirut, Lebanon
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19- Ruins of Tyre
Ruins of Tyre – El-Bass Cemetery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Lebanese city of Tyre. The cemetery was found in the Middle Ages, and historians suggest that its construction dates back to prehistoric times. Visitors will find these ruins on both sides of a wide Roman and Byzantine street, at the end of which there is a majestic Nasr Palace. In the area, visitors will also find marble columns, grand terraces, rooms with arched ceilings, and much more.
Place address: Tyre, Lebanon
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20- The Clock Tower
The Clock Tower – The Sultan Abdul Hamid Clock, also known as the Tal Clock or the Ottoman Clock, is located in the central square, or the Hill Square in the city of Tripoli, Lebanon, and it consists of five floors. It was presented as a gift from Sultan Abdul Hamid to the people of Tripoli, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his accession. The throne, and it is decorated with paintings, one of which bears the signature of Sultan Abdul Hamid, and the second is the emblem of the Ottoman Empire, and it was built in 1901 AD, and with the passage of time the four original paintings at the top of the tower were erased, and Gazi University in Ankara in 2006 AD restored the clock And return the paintings as they were originally, and donate them to the Municipality of Tripoli.
Place address: Sultan AbdulHamid Clocktower, Tarablus, Lebanon
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21- Old Souk
Old Souk – Near the ferry port in the city of Jounieh, the old market is located, which is one of the best tourist destinations in the city, as it is visited by many tourists wishing to shop and buy various unique souvenirs and distinctive gifts, in addition to eating one of the delicious meals at a local restaurant or cafe. , whose seats are spread on both sides of the alleys of the market, which makes the sessions truly unique.
Place address: Old souk, غزير، Lebanon
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22- Mount of the Cross
Mount of the Cross – In the year 1929, a person called Jacob the Capuchin decided to build a monument to the cross on the top of a hill in Deir al-Qamar, so he collected 6,000 francs and paved the way from the town square to the hill. Bishop Augustine Al-Bustani endowed the land of the hill, which extends over an area of 8000 meters, as an endowment for this work, which he considered great. And it ended up building a chapel along with the cross. This mountain was called the Rope of the Cross, in relation to the cross on its top.
Place address: Deir El Qamar, Lebanon
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23- Khan al-Franj
Khan al-Franj – Khan al-Franj is one of the most important architectural monuments in the city of Sidon, and one of the most beautiful khans in the east. It is located north of Bab al-Saray Square. It is a huge building overlooking the northern port of the city. It is square in shape, and its sides are fifty-eight meters long. meters, and it also contains an open, square yard, in the middle of which is a beautiful pond with a fountain, surrounded by trees and flowers, and there is more than one well for collecting water, and today it houses the tourism office in Sidon, in addition to some craft stores, The building annexed to the north side is currently used as a school.
Place address: خان الفرنج Khan El Franj, Historical City، Saida, Lebanon
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24- Temple of Eshmoun
Temple of Eshmoun – The Eshmun Temple is considered one of the most important Phoenician monuments in Lebanon, as it includes a pagan temple built in the seventh century BC on the bank of the Awali River, which was called the Pastranos River, northeast of the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon, and Eshmun for the Phoenicians is the god of healing, so the temple became a center and a hospital for treatment Children from all Phoenician cities, and the Temple of Eshmun includes valuable artifacts currently preserved in the National Museum in Beirut, including laws and statues inscribed with Phoenician writings, which provide valuable information about its roots striking deep in history.
Place address: Temple of Eshmun, Bqosta, Lebanon
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25- Khan Al Saboun
Khan Al Saboun – local history market specialized in traditional soap, and this market has existed in the city for nearly 1,000 years, and during that long period the craft of soap making has been inherited by hundreds of generations, and the soap is still prepared with high professionalism from olive oil and other ingredients. There are also several blacksmiths and gold sellers in the market that you can see while they are doing their wonderful crafts. This market is also distinguished by its beautiful old buildings with arched ceilings.
Place address: Khan Al Saboun, Tripoli, Lebanon
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Conclusion
We hope our guide has inspired you to explore the unique and fascinating region of Lebanon. From its stunning natural wonders to its rich cultural heritage, Lebanon is a destination that promises to leave you awe-inspired and enriched. We encourage you to take your time and immerse yourself in the local culture, learn about the history and traditions of the region, and connect with the people who call it home. Remember that every journey is a personal one, and your experience in Lebanon will be different from anyone else’s. So, don’t be afraid to follow your instincts, take a detour, and explore the unknown. As you journey through Lebanon, we invite you to embrace the unexpected and discover the hidden treasures that await. We hope that our guide has been a valuable resource in planning your trip, and we look forward to hearing about your travels. Safe travels, happy exploring, and until next time!